Comments for Guy Salvidge's blog

Comment on A new reading list - 11/7/08 by ss

ss — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:42:03 +0000

Hey Guy,

I am looking forward to reading a couple of your books that you’ve reviewed next week, I think its definitely time for me to read Simone Lazaroo’s book since I did a subject with her, very curious. I’ll see you on the 20th July hopefully.

Comment on A new reading list - 11/7/08 by guysalvidge

guysalvidge — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:10:51 +0000

Thanks, Nathan. Your blog was actually the inspiration for this one. I didn’t think I was *worthy* of having a blog until I had something published, but I decided to take the plunge. And I’ve discovered that I enjoy writing book reviews. I even scored a fair few free books out of it (4 x Hal Spacejock and 2 x J. J. DeCeglie books).

I didn’t know Disch was dead. He can’t have been that old? Sixties? That’s a real shame. I’m not sure I really share your opinions on Disch. I loved The Genocides when I read it at age 18, ditto Camp Concentration, but I haven’t been able to enjoy much more of his work. Last one I read (many years ago) was On Wings of Song. But he lived a lot longer than PKD, hey?

No writing at all happening over here. For some reason, I only write novels, and they take months to gestate. I am really beginning to understand what PKD meant when he talked about the months and months of ‘thinking time’ preceding the actual writing of a novel.

Hope things are well for you…

Comment on A new reading list - 11/7/08 by Nathan Hobby

Nathan Hobby — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:31:11 +0000

What an amazing blog you’ve got Guy! Your reviews are informative, incisive and interesting, and I like you willingness to risk strong opinions.

Were you devastated like me that Thomas M. Disch is dead?

Hope you get some good writing done over the school holidays.

Comment on I’m giving up on Last Drinks by guysalvidge

guysalvidge — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:49:27 +0000

I started reading The White Earth the other day and it’s very smooth so far. Hopefully I will be able to get through it in quick time. I’ve also got McGahan’s Underground here to read too, but that one looks kinda dodgy.

Comment on I’m giving up on Last Drinks by Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:37:44 +0000

I agree that Last Drinks is the least exciting of Andrew McGahan’s novels, although I didn’t get to the point of giving up on it. But The White Earth is stacks better. Just nothing like Praise or 1988 though. It’s kind of like McGahan is two different writers, so you have to read it with new eyes. Enjoy!

Comment on Book Review - 1988 by Andrew McGahan by guysalvidge

guysalvidge — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:02:27 +0000

I would be happy to read and review your book. I am always on the lookout for new writers of interest. Send me an email at guy [at] byteforcecomputing.com and we’ll arrange it.

Cheers

Guy

Comment on Book Review - 1988 by Andrew McGahan by J DeCEGLIE

J DeCEGLIE — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:59:40 +0000

Guy,

Hey.
I’m a Fremantle writer, 27 years old.
Have published two independent pieces.

One a novella, ‘the sea is not yet full’ which Nathan Hobby gave a glowing review. This was published in 05 and got me an invite to NYWF in Newcastle in 06.

The new one is a collection of shorts stories all previously published around the world. It is called ‘In The Same Streets You’ll Wander Endlessly’ and was released two weeks ago.
I’ll include some of the other reviews of the novella at the bottom here.

Anyway was wondering if you would be interested in me sending you some copies which you could have a read of and include on this site. I would be grateful and hopefully you enjoy the work.

You can sample my stories online by typing jj deceglie into google.

Let me know.

Comment on Book Review - The World Waiting to be Made by Simone Lazaroo by guysalvidge

guysalvidge — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:39:39 +0000

I’m up to five Hungerfords that I’ve read now (including The House of Breathing which I haven’t got around to reviewing) and I’m certain that Lazaroo’s novel is the best of them. A Whispering of Fish is sitting here to be read, and I’m still to chase up a copy of The Albanian. Ultimate goal is to review all eight Hungerfords on this site. Will take time…

I had Simone for one class in 2000. She said something very tactful about my story. She said, “you write very well on the level of the sentence.”

It took me years to realise that she was saying that my story was going nowhere which, on reflection, it probably was. She’s a class act.

Comment on Book Review - Channelling Henry by Bruce L. Russell by guysalvidge

guysalvidge — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:35:25 +0000

Geez, I loved this book. I will re-read it again within the year, I’d expect. But I was less enthusiastic about Bruce’s first two novels. Jacob’s Air was solid but The Chelsea Manifesto didn’t do it for me. Bruce told me that his new novel is called Mick’s Museum and that it will be out in ‘09. I’m looking forward to reading that.

Comment on Book Review - The World Waiting to be Made by Simone Lazaroo by Nathan Hobby

Nathan Hobby — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:23:31 +0000

I loved this book too. Simone taught me at Murdoch and she was one of those tutors who really cared about the students, and had intelligent feedback about even the most awful stories. I’m sure you remember the sort of thing.